Dylan Garand just wanted his shot. Now it’s here. The 24-year-old is the new starting goaltender for the New York Rangers, which is a big twist considering he was on waivers just two weeks ago. But hockey moves fast. After being sent to Hartford following training camp, Garand got called up because Igor Shesterkin got injured for the season. This 2020 draft pick, who spent four years with the Wolf Pack, might finally have his long-term NHL chance. “He’s huge for the team, and for me too,” Garand said Saturday. “It’s next man up. That’s how I see it.” Even though this opportunity came out of nowhere, Garand’s solid play is why he’s the one stepping in. His time in the AHL is paying off now, even if it seemed stuck before. He’s confident but not arrogant, and he believes he’s been ready for this. “Totally ready,” he said. “I’ve got a bit of a fire under me. I’m pumped to fight for the guys, and I know I can handle this.” Garand’s pro career started in the weird Covid season of 2020-21, when he played two games as a teen. As a rookie in 2022-23, he helped Hartford make the playoffs for the first time in eight years, and he did it again in 2024. He’s shown he can handle the pressure; in 17 playoff games, he’s got a 2.21 goals against average and a .927 save percentage, with two shutouts. He hit career highs with 20 wins and a .913 save percentage last season, making the AHL All-Star Game. But he was still stuck in Hartford, third in line behind veterans Jaroslav Halak and Jonathan Quick. As last season fell apart for both New York and Hartford, Garand stayed strong, keeping Hartford afloat many nights. He was above .500 (16-15-2) on a team that finished last in the AHL. Then, he got his NHL chance, stopping 35 shots in his debut on March 22, 2026. He signed a two-year deal with the team in the offseason. But soon after, New York brought in Joonas Korpisalo from Boston. That led to a camp battle for the backup job. Korpisalo, with 334 NHL games, won it, and Garand was headed back to Hartford. Waiving Garand was risky for the Rangers; other goalies like Leevi Merilainen, Rémi Poirier, and Clay Stevenson had been claimed recently. But he cleared waivers. Back to Hartford… until Korpisalo got hurt before playing a single game. Garand was called up to back up Shesterkin in the home opener on October 1, then started the next night and got his first NHL shutout in Detroit. Then, last Friday in Washington, Shesterkin got hurt badly with a leg injury. The news came the next day: he’s out for the season. With Korpisalo still hurt, the net is all Garand’s. Being the Rangers’ starter doesn’t come up often. For over 40 years, it’s been guys like John Vanbiesbrouck, Mike Richter, Henrik Lundqvist, and Shesterkin. “I’m thrilled for the chance,” Garand said. “I’ll give everything I’ve got for these guys and this city, every night.”
